


I don’t wanna let you love somebody else but me

by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Femslash, Natasha's idea of a 'friendly spar' is one where no one dies, Princess/Bodyguard AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-15 00:33:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7198064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel/pseuds/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Why is it always so hard to make conversation with you guys?” said Darcy. “Is it really too much to ask for someone to occasionally talk back to me when I talk to them?”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“It’s not my place to make conversation with you, your highness. I’m fairly certain I’d be admonished if I got too familiar with you.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“That’s just stupid,” said Darcy. “You follow me everywhere, and you’re not allowed to talk to me?”</i>
</p><p>A Darcy/Natasha Princess/Bodyguard AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I don’t wanna let you love somebody else but me

** I don’t wanna let you love somebody else but me **

Natasha stood by the door, watching as Princess Darcy interacted with the sick children. It wasn’t uncommon for the princess to visit the children’s hospital. Usually the new children were excited to meet a real-life princess; the long-term patients, meanwhile, all adored Darcy. Natasha privately admitted that it wasn’t difficult to see why: the princess was very approachable for royalty, with her friendly smile and quirky charm. She wasn’t afraid to act in an undignified manner at times, either, even though Natasha had overheard her being reprimanded a number of times for her lack of dignity in public. But Darcy never seemed to care about the rigid codes of behaviour that the royals were supposed to follow, despite the reprimands. She was who she was, unapologetically, and Natasha couldn’t help but admire that.

Natasha had been acting as Darcy’s bodyguard for a little over a year now. She’d worked for an intelligence organisation called SHIELD before that; by comparison, acting as a bodyguard to royalty was dull work, but Natasha didn’t mind. While she sometimes missed the excitement of her old line of work, it was nice not to have to constantly worry about people trying to kill her, and never having to worry about what keeping up a persona besides the one she was required to have as Darcy’s bodyguard. 

Most people didn’t know that Natasha was a bodyguard, assuming that she was a personal assistant or something similar, which was exactly how the royal family liked it: to strangers, Natasha seemed small and unthreatening, making the princess more approachable than if she’d had a big burly bodyguard shadowing her at all times. Of course, appearances were deceiving: Natasha was several times more deadly than your average bodyguard, with training that they could only dream of. But it was part of the role Natasha was required to play, and so she spent half an hour every morning perfecting her make-up, wore pretty, feminine dresses and heels everywhere she went, and plastered on a pleasant smile that hid how dangerous she really was. Natasha didn’t mind that, either: she’d pretended to be something other than what she was her entire life, and as pretences went, this one was pretty easy to keep up.

As Natasha watched, Darcy allowed one of the children to climb onto her back, and gave the little girl a piggy-back ride that had her giggling with delight. Natasha smiled slightly. It was an uncommon sight, a princess royal giving someone a piggy-back ride, but then that was Darcy. 

“Okay, that’s enough,” Darcy declared after a couple of minutes, lowering herself to the ground so that the little girl could climb off her back. “You’re getting heavy, and it’s making my back hurt. Still, that was fun, right?”

Grinning, the little girl confirmed that it was.

Just then one of the nurses approached Natasha, and said that it was about time for the children to have their lunch. Natasha nodded and thanked her, and stepped forward, clearing her throat to catch Darcy’s attention.

“Your highness.”

Darcy looked up, and smiled. Not for the first time, Natasha was struck by what a lovely expression it was: Darcy’s entire face lit up when she smiled, her eyes shining with good-humour. As it always did, Natasha’s heart skipped a beat at the sight.

Nothing showed on her face, however. Natasha had been playing the game too long to wear her heart on her sleeve, and she knew better than anyone that she was a bodyguard, and nothing more.

“What’s up?” Darcy asked, still smiling.

“It’s almost time for the children to have lunch.”

“Oh, okay.” Darcy’s face fell slightly, and Natasha knew that she’d genuinely enjoyed talking and interacting with the children. But Darcy turned back to face the children and smiled brightly. “Hey, guys, it’s almost lunchtime, so I have to go home now. But I’ll be back again in a couple of weeks, okay?”

Some of the children protested, but Darcy smiled and stayed firm. She made sure to say goodbye to all the long-term patients, collecting the drawings and other small gifts the children had made for her since her last visit, and she and Natasha left the ward, making their way out of the hospital to where the car was already waiting.

Darcy sat back in her seat and let out a long breath.

“Man, I love seeing the kids, but it takes a lot out of me,” she complained to Natasha, who said nothing. 

This didn’t stop Darcy, who kept talking. 

“And they told me that little Ashley, the one with the pony collection, you know… they told me she passed away last week, and I’m like, how is that _fair?_ She was only eight years old, okay, she should have had a full life ahead of her.” 

Darcy glared at nothing in particular, but Natasha could see the wetness in her eyes. 

“Instead she spent the last few months in hospital, and now…” 

Darcy’s voice trailed away, and she fumbled with her pockets, making a furious noise when she couldn’t find what she was looking for.

“Dammit. Natasha, do you have a handkerchief? I forgot mine, again.”

Without a word Natasha pulled a carefully-pressed handkerchief out of her purse, and handed it to Darcy. Darcy had a tendency to forget to bring essential items with her, despite the enormous handbag she carried everywhere, and Natasha had gotten used to carrying spares of everything in her purse so that Darcy was never without at an awkward moment.

Darcy wiped at her eyes, smearing her eyeliner, and blew her nose.

“You’ve smudged your eyeliner,” said Natasha, and Darcy said ‘dammit’ again.

“Oh well, it’s not like I’m going anywhere except back to the palace,” Darcy added, and tucked the handkerchief into the pocket of her coat. “I can afford to look like a raccoon. Do I look like a raccoon, Natasha?”

Natasha bit back a laugh.

“A little,” she said. “A cute raccoon, though.”

“Well, that’s what matters,” Darcy said with determined cheerfulness. She rambled on for the next several minutes, clearly trying to distract herself from Ashley’s fate. She always grew attached to the children, and it always hurt her when one of them passed away. But she continued going back to the hospital anyway, laying herself open to that particular pain. If it had been Natasha, she would have stopped going back to the hospital long ago. But then, Darcy was a lot braver with her feelings than Natasha was. Natasha could face down killers and terrorists without breaking a sweat, but allowing her feelings to run free? That was something Natasha never did.

It had been too important, in her previous line of work, to keep all her emotions locked down, where they couldn’t interfere with her missions. But now that she was allowed to be free with her feelings… she wasn’t sure she even knew how.

Darcy was very different, in that respect. Sometimes Natasha envied her for it.

“Are you even listening to me?” Darcy asked, and Natasha pulled her mind back to the here and now.

“Of course,” she said, while her mind replayed the last few minutes of Darcy’s ramblings now that Natasha was actually paying attention.

“Why is it always so hard to make conversation with you guys?” said Darcy. “Is it really too much to ask for someone to occasionally talk back to me when I talk to them?”

Natasha let herself smile, faintly amused.

“It’s not my place to make conversation with you, your highness. I’m fairly certain I’d be admonished if I got too familiar with you.”

Darcy blew a raspberry, and Natasha’s smile widened at her ire.

“That’s just stupid,” said Darcy. “You follow me everywhere, and you’re not allowed to talk to me?”

“You’re a princess, and I’m a lowly bodyguard,” said Natasha. “Besides, you should be used to it by now.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Darcy said, and muttered under her breath about how being royalty was stupid.

“We all have our cross to bear,” said Natasha, and smirked when Darcy scowled at her.

“You’re no fun, you know that? What am I supposed to do if you’re not going to talk to me?” 

“Listen to that iPod you take everywhere,” Natasha suggested, without losing her smirk.

“Ugh. You know what? Fine. I will,” Darcy grumbled, and pulled her iPod out of her handbag, sticking the earbuds in her ears. The rest of the journey back to the palace was made in silence.

Natasha looked out the car window, and wondered if life would be easier if she left this job and took up a new one somewhere else. She glanced at Darcy out of the corner of her eye: the princess was swaying from side to side and bobbing her head, mouthing along to the words of the music only she could hear. It was typical Darcy behaviour, and Natasha’s heart swelled with fondness at the sight.

Natasha sighed, and looked back out the window.

She had a feeling that even if she did leave her current job, it would be far too late to make any difference.

* * *

A week later Prince Thor of Denmark and his wife made an official visit to Britain.

Darcy let out a shriek of joy at the sight of them and ran forward, ignoring her mother’s admonishment to _show some dignity, Darcy!_ and choosing instead to hug the prince and princess.

Thor, for his part, only laughed, and lifted Darcy off her feet in a massive bear hug, until Darcy complained and asked to be put down. She was grinning as she did so, however, and Natasha knew that Darcy didn’t really mind.

Darcy turned to Thor’s wife, beaming.

“Jane!” Darcy said, hugging her as well. Jane hugged her back, a little awkwardly, looking slightly overwhelmed by the warmth of Darcy’s welcome. “It’s so good to see you again!”

“You too,” said Jane. Jane had been Darcy’s best friend for a long time, ever since the two had met at the prestigious boarding school Darcy had attended as a teenager. It was thanks to Darcy that Jane and Thor had met. Natasha had still been with SHIELD at the time, but she’d been told that it was love at first sight for the prince and Darcy’s friend. The Danish royal family had been surprisingly composed about their crown prince falling in love with a commoner from another country; but then, the Danish royalty were a lot more relaxed about a lot of things than the British royalty were. Natasha supposed that it must have helped that Jane already knew a lot about how to conduct herself as a member of the royal family, from all her time watching Darcy and her relatives. 

One of the bodyguards assigned to Thor and Jane for the duration of their visit wandered over to talk to Natasha, wearing a rakish grin. 

“Hey, doll,” said Bucky, looking Natasha up and down with appreciation, the way he always did. He and Natasha had dated for a while, before Bucky had been hit by a clue and realised that he was in love with his best friend, an ex-military man turned graphic designer named Steve. Natasha and Bucky had parted amicably enough, and still got along well. Natasha even got along with Steve, who looked like an old-fashioned matinee idol but acted very much like the ex-military man he was. Privately, Natasha didn’t blame Bucky for falling for him, even if Steve could be an idiot at times. But then, so could Bucky, so they were well-matched in that respect.

“Bucky,” said Natasha, allowing herself to smile at him. “How’s Steve?”

Bucky gave a loose shrug, still grinning.

“Oh, you know. Frustrated with his clients for being idiots, as usual. How are you doing?”

Behind Bucky, Darcy glanced over in Natasha’s direction, and frowned a little, before looking back at Jane and Thor and resuming her conversation. Natasha probably would have missed it, if it weren’t for the fact that she’d been trained to see everything that happened around her.

Filing the incident away in her mind to ask about later, Natasha answered Bucky.

“The same as always.”

“Uh-huh. Still making eyes at the princess when you think no one’s looking?”

Startled, Natasha glared at him.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Probably,” Bucky admitted, without shame. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve seen you looking at her.”

Natasha stared at him. She _knew_ that she hadn’t been obvious. She was always very circumspect about her feelings. Bucky must be more observant than she’d guessed, if he’d picked up on her infatuation with Darcy. It was a little worrying, all the same; Natasha wondered who else had noticed.

“Aw, don’t look at me like that.” Bucky’s grin softened a little. “Everyone goes ga-ga over a client at some point in their career, Tasha. It’s a rite of passage among bodyguards.”

“Fuck you, Barnes.”

“Nah, that’s Steve’s job,” Barnes said easily. “Look, I know it ain’t an easy thing to deal with, but you’ll get past it eventually. That, or you’ll quit, but you never seemed to me to be the quitting type.”

“Thank you for that fount of wisdom,” Natasha said, dryly and a little dangerously. 

“Look, I’m just saying.” Bucky held up his hands. “Don’t shoot me.”

Natasha gave him a long look, one that was enough to make even Bucky nervous, before she glanced back at Darcy. The princess was still talking animatedly to Jane and Thor.

When she looked back at Bucky, his expression was almost sympathetic.

Natasha didn’t shoot him, but it was a close thing.

* * *

Darcy and Jane spent the next few days taking Thor to see some of the sights of London. He’d seen most of them before, of course, but Thor was always enthusiastic about getting to know more about the country his cousin and wife had come from, and was unfailingly social, happily chatting to whatever strangers wanted to take a selfie with him. Natasha and Bucky and the rest of the security retinue followed at a discreet distance, close enough to intervene if necessary, but distant enough to give the royals the illusion of privacy.

Natasha almost rolled her eyes when Darcy insisted that Jane and Thor enter her favourite chocolate shop in order to see their chocolate replica of the _Venus de Milo_. She was too much of a professional to actually do it, however.

“Hey, Natasha!” Darcy called, and Natasha walked over.

“Your highness?”

“Can you take a picture of the three of with the chocolate sculpture? This one’s totally going on Facebook.”

Of the British royals, Darcy was the only one who maintained her social media profile personally. It was part of why Darcy was liked so much by the millennials: while she was selective in what she posted to social media, she was very active, constantly posting updates and photographs and the odd video to her many accounts.

Natasha held out her hand.

“Give me your phone.”

Darcy happily passed it over, and the three royals posed beside the chocolate _Venus de Milo_ , smiling. Natasha took the photo, and handed the phone back to Darcy, who immediately started fiddling around with it, no doubt posting the photo to Facebook right away.

Thor looked down at Natasha with an expression of benign good-humour. 

“I hear that you are Darcy’s personal bodyguard,” he said. Natasha glanced up at him, somewhat startled by the attempt at conversation: she was used to being ignored, except by Darcy. But the Danish prince was looking at her with an unexpectedly knowing stare, as though he was seeing beneath the veneer of harmless femininity, to the person Natasha really was. It was vaguely unsettling.

Natasha decided to keep her response short and uninformative.

“That’s right.”

Thor regarded her for a moment longer, and then grinned. 

“You must be talented indeed to have won such an important position. We should spar!”

“Excuse me?” Natasha asked, while one of the Danish bodyguards said, “Your highness–” in a politely-exasperated tone of voice.

“Oh my God, Thor,” said Jane, sounding just as exasperated. “You can’t fight Darcy’s bodyguard.”

“Yeah, I mean no offence to Natasha, but you’re kind of a big guy,” said Darcy, eying Thor and Natasha doubtfully. “I don’t think she’d have much of a chance.”

Natasha frowned. If anyone else had questioned her abilities, she’d have taken it as a sign that she was doing her job the way she ought – being underestimated was essential to her job. But for Darcy to think that she wasn’t competent enough to deal with the Danish Prince – built like a Greek god though he was – well, that stung.

“Are you implying that you think I can’t take him?”

Darcy’s eyes widened at Natasha’s cool tone.

“Uh, no, no, I just–”

Natasha turned away from the princess. As she did, Bucky managed to catch her eye. He shook his head vigorously, mouthing _‘no’_ at her.

Natasha looked back at Thor, and gave him a predatory smile.

“You’d have to okay it with my employers, but I’d be delighted to spar with you. Just be aware that I don’t hold back.”

Thor laughed, and clapped Natasha on the shoulder. Behind him Bucky put a hand over his face.

“I shall arrange all, then, and it will be most glorious!”

“ _Thor_ ,” said Jane. Darcy meanwhile, asked hesitantly, “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Natasha?”

Natasha met her eyes, and held them.

“You have no idea what I was trained for, Princess.”

“Well, if you’re sure.” Darcy still looked doubtful.

“I am.” Natasha’s expression was carefully impassive. “Now why don’t you go back to showing Prince Thor around London? I’m sure he’d love to see the Imperial War Museum.”

“An excellent suggestion!” Thor said. “I have a great interest in military history.”

Darcy and Jane exchanged despairing glances, but gave up on trying to convince Natasha and Prince Thor not to spar.

“Christ, you’re as bad as Steve!” Bucky hissed, as Natasha fell into back into step with the other bodyguards. “What the hell are you thinking?”

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” asked one of the Danish bodyguards, looking worried.

Natasha only smiled, and followed the three royals out of the chocolate shop.

* * *

Natasha made a mental note not to underestimate the prince: somehow, he’d convinced the British royal family and Natasha’s boss to let Natasha spar with him, despite the misgivings of almost everyone involved. So Natasha found herself in the palace gym the next afternoon, facing Thor, while Darcy, Princess Jane, and a number of bodyguards watched form the sidelines.

Natasha stood in place and considered him. He was physically a large man, with an incredible physique – his biceps were almost as large as Natasha’s head. If it came down to physical strength, Thor would definitely win… which meant that Natasha would need to be sneaky, and take him by surprise.

“Okay, guys, this is just a friendly spar, got it?” said Darcy, looking worried. “Nobody’s supposed to get hurt, okay?”

“I will go easy on Ms Rushman,” Thor promised her.

“Only if you want to lose,” said Natasha, her voice perfectly calm. Thor laughed, while Darcy and Jane exchanged speaking looks, as did several of the assembled bodyguards.

Natasha shrugged mentally. If they couldn’t believe that Natasha had something up her sleeve, well, the more fool them.

“Okay, whatever. Start whenever you like,” Darcy announced.

The prince grinned, and struck a ready pose.

“Let us see what you can do,” he offered. “And remember, you promised not to hold back.”

Natasha didn’t bother to reply. Instead she took a running leap at Thor, wrapping her thighs around his neck, and flipping herself backwards. Her weight was enough to send him off-balance and tumbling forwards onto the floor, and Natasha finished the flip and landed back on her feet, free of the sprawled prince. As he began to get up, Natasha got him in a choke-hold and held on. Thor tried to break her hold, but after several seconds he went limp. Natasha let the hold go and stepped back, rolling him onto his back and making sure that he was breathing easily.

“Oh my God, _Thor!”_ Jane yelled, running from her spot near the edge of the room and falling to her knees next to the fallen prince. The Danish bodyguards weren’t far behind her. “What did you _do?_ ”

“Relax, he’ll be fine,” said Natasha. “I did warn him I wasn’t going to hold back.”

“Holy shit,” a voice breathed, and Natasha looked up to see Darcy staring at her, eyes huge. “You took down _Thor!_ ”

Natasha quirked a smile at her, pleased by the obvious awe in Darcy’s voice.

“I was hired to protect you for a reason, your highness.” Natasha looked back at Thor, still unconscious on the floor. “And he underestimated me. He won’t do that next time.”

“ _Next time?”_ said Jane. “No, no, there is no next time!” She glared at Natasha. “You choked him _unconscious!_ ”

“Yeah, but to be fair, Thor did tell her not to hold back,” Darcy pointed out. “And come on, Jane – you really think Thor’s going to be upset? He’ll probably take it as a challenge.”

Jane deflated.

“Stop making rational arguments,” she said. “Why aren’t you worried?”

Darcy smiled a little.

“Please, Thor’s survived far worse. Loki used to do things like that to him all the time, when they used to spar with each other. Thor always came out of it okay.”

Natasha left the two princesses to talk, and walked over to Bucky. He’d checked Thor’s vital signs before being elbowed out of the way by the Danish bodyguards, and was now staring at Natasha in open astonishment.

“What the fuck? How the _hell_ did you do that?”

Natasha smiled a tiny smile.

“Years of professional training.”

“As _what?_ ” 

But Natasha only smiled at him.

Down on the floor Thor groaned, and opened his eyes, blinking blearily. He said something in Danish.

One of the bodyguards said something curt in the same language, and Thor blinked, before he lifted his head, wincing. His gaze found Natasha’s, and he stared at her for a long moment. Natasha stared back, wondering if this was about to be the end of her career.

But suddenly Thor smiled, small and rueful, and laid his head back down on the floor. He chuckled, and said, “I suppose that will teach me not to underestimate my opponent in future.”

“Are you okay?” Jane peered into his face. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Four,” Thor said. “My love, do not fret. I believe I was overconfident. It will be a valuable learning experience.”

Jane made an irritated noise.

“You should get yourself checked over, but you shouldn’t have anything worse than a headache,” Natasha told him, and Thor’s gaze returned to her. “I’d apologise, but I did say I wouldn’t hold back.”

Thor laughed, and then winced, groaning.

“Indeed you did. I believe you win this round.”

“No hard feelings?” Natasha offered.

“No hard feelings,” Thor agreed.

Natasha smiled at him, and glanced away to see that Darcy was watching her, the princess’s expression difficult to interpret. Their eyes met, and for a moment they looked at each other before Natasha turned away, and left to get changed back into her regular clothes.

* * *

“So, that guy you were talking to the other day. Is he your boyfriend?”

Natasha looked up to see Darcy regarding her steadily.

“I’m sorry?”

“The guy shadowing Thor and Jane,” said Darcy. “Barnes. Is he your boyfriend?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

Darcy’s face fell at the rebuke, and Natasha felt that maybe she’d been a little harsh in her response.

“We broke up months ago,” Natasha added, to make up for it. “He’s dating his best friend these days.”

Darcy brightened as she saw that she was forgiven.

“Oh. So you guys aren’t an item anymore?”

Natasha cocked an eyebrow at her.

“Why the twenty questions?”

“No reason. Can’t I just try and get to know my favourite bodyguard a little better?”

“Hmm.”

“Seriously though,” Darcy said, “you’ve been following me around for like a year, and I know hardly anything about you except for things like how you take your coffee, while you know practically everything there is to know about me. It feels like an unequal relationship.”

“That’s because it _is_ an unequal relationship, your highness.”

Darcy made a face.

“Don’t ‘your highness’ me, okay? There’s no one else around to overhear; you can get away with a little less formality for once.”

Natasha said nothing. It seemed safest.

“It was cool seeing you take down Thor, by the way,” Darcy added, which had nothing to do with what they’d been  discussing a moment ago – but then, Darcy was the master of the non-sequitur. “I kind of wish I’d had my phone out so I could have filmed it. Watching you take him down was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m sure Facebook would have agreed with me.”

“Do me a favour, and never post anything about me on Facebook,” said Natasha. “The last thing I want is to have my career compromised.”

Darcy thought about that.

“Yeah, okay. Still, where’d you learn to do that? It was totes awesome.”

“I had an unusual childhood,” was all that Natasha would say. When Darcy pestered her to be less cryptic, Natasha only pulled on a poker face, and refused to answer any more questions. 

Darcy pouted, and complained, and finally said, “I take it back, you’re not my favourite bodyguard anymore.”

“Lies,” Natasha dared to say, which made Darcy laugh. 

“You know me too well,” said Darcy, shaking her head.

Natasha only smiled.

* * *

Two days later, there was a ball at the palace.

Natasha picked out one of the dozen dresses she had for occasions just like this one, and followed in Darcy’s wake until the princess was safely ensconced in the ballroom. Then she took up a position near the edges of the room, along with the other bodyguards.

Time passed. Natasha was used to these kind of events: they were usually fairly safe, thanks to the security at the door and all over the grounds of the palace, but also rather boring. It was part of Natasha’s job to stand at the edges of the room like particularly attractive furniture, doing nothing to attract undue attention, all the while keeping an eye on the princess to make sure that nothing untoward happened. She was good at it, but she couldn’t say she enjoyed it much. Darcy’s personal outings were far more fun.

Natasha was making small-talk with Bucky, keeping one eye fixed on Darcy, when the music started up, and couples began moving onto the portion of the floor that had been set aside for dancing. A moment later, Natasha noticed Darcy heading in her direction.

“Give me a minute,” she told Bucky, and turned to face the princess.

Darcy reached her a moment later.

“Is there a problem?” Natasha asked.

Darcy shook her head.

“It’s not exactly a problem,” she said.

Natasha frowned. 

“Then what is it?”

“I want you to dance with me,” Darcy said directly. Bucky choked.

“What?” Natasha stared at Darcy, thinking that she couldn’t have possibly heard her correctly.

Bucky, damn him, started to laugh at the expression on Natasha’s face, covering it with a fake cough when she sent a brief glare his way.

“You heard me.” Darcy looked determined. “You. Me. On the dance floor. Now.”

“I don’t think…” Natasha began, but Darcy grabbed her hand and began pulling her out into the section of the room where people were sedately dancing, and Natasha wasn’t sure how to stop her without causing a scene.

Natasha somehow found herself with a hand on Darcy’s waist and the other hand clasped in Darcy’s own, the two of them moving in time with the music. She followed Darcy’s lead easily, acutely conscious of the many stares they were getting. This wasn’t part of her job description.

“What are you doing?” Natasha asked under her breath, trying to deal with the conflict between flutter of emotion in her heart, and the voice in her head that told her that this was exactly the opposite of what she ought to be doing.

“Dancing with you,” Darcy said, in a normal tone. 

“But why?”

“Because I like you, doofus.” Darcy was looking into Natasha’s eyes with a wry smile. “A lot.”

“You like me?” Natasha repeated. “Your highness–”

“Darcy.”

“ _Your highness_ ,” Natasha continued firmly, “this isn’t appropriate.”

Darcy looked at her with a patient expression.

“Natasha, when I have ever been appropriate?”

Natasha let her arm drop from Darcy’s waist, and let go of her hand.

“Natasha?” Darcy looked suddenly uncertain. But Natasha was already turning and leaving the dance floor, heading back to the edges of the room, well-aware of the numerous surprised and disapproving eyes on her and the princess.

There went her job, Natasha thought, waiting for one of the senior security staff to approach her and haul her away to tell her off for dancing with the princess. 

But instead the first person to approach her was Bucky, an incredulous expression on his face. His words were a blunt question, devoid of any tact whatsoever.

“What, you’re just going to leave her standing there?” 

“She’s a princess,” said Natasha.

“Exactly!”

Natasha shook her head. 

“It’s not appropriate. I’m her bodyguard.”

“Tasha, she’s a _princess_. And damn charming and good looking besides. And you’re going to say no to her?”

Natasha blinked. She thought that through.

On the one hand, she was the princess’s bodyguard. Getting involved with the client was breaking the number one rule of bodyguarding. If it had been anyone else, Natasha would have politely let them down…but it was _Darcy_.

“I could lose my job,” Natasha said slowly, but she was already wondering if losing her job would be worth it, if it meant being with Darcy. Her head kept telling her no, but her heart… that was a different matter.

Natasha didn’t make a habit of listening to her heart – it was an unreliable guide, at best – but maybe just this once, she ought to. 

Turning back to look at Darcy, she was just in time to see the princess flee the ballroom.

Natasha swore in Russian, something she almost never did.

“That wasn’t English,” Bucky said slowly, but Natasha was already pushing past him and following the path Darcy had taken.

She found Darcy in the garden, sitting on a stone bench and wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. Natasha halted her approach for a moment, hesitating, before quietly walking forward, her heels punching through the grass and into the soft dirt beneath.

Natasha sat on the stone bench next to Darcy. Opening her purse, she pulled out a handkerchief and silently held it out. Darcy sent her a complicated sort of look, but accepted the offering, using it to wipe at her eyes. Trails of mascara were already making their way down the princess’ cheeks.

“Why are you here?” Darcy asked after a moment, her tone humiliated – but there was a tinge of hope there. “You already made it clear what you think of me.”

Natasha watched her for a moment, and then sighed. Seeing the princess cry was twisting something in her heart, deep and painful, and Natasha realised that she might as well kiss her career goodbye, because after this, she couldn’t possibly go on being Darcy’s bodyguard. The careful walls she’d put up between her job and her feelings for Darcy had fallen apart, and Natasha realised that she was utterly, inescapably compromised.

“It’s not that I don’t like you, _kotyonok_.” Natasha’s voice was unusually gentle. Darcy’s head came up at the unfamiliar word. “But even if I did return your feelings, I’d never be allowed to act on them. As it is, this is probably the last time we’ll be allowed to see each other.”

Darcy swallowed, and blinked back further tears.

“Then you might as well tell me. You said if. _If_ you returned my feelings. Do you? Or have I just been fooling myself in thinking the way you looked at me meant anything?”

Natasha had a habit of keeping her feelings guarded at all times, but for once, it looked like this might actually do more harm than good. Besides, her career as the princess’ bodyguard was over, anyway. She might as well be honest.

“You weren’t fooling yourself.”

Darcy’s expression brightened, into one of dawning hope.

“Then you do like me?” She frowned momentarily. “Wait, what did you call me, before?”

“ _Kotyonok_ ,” said Natasha. “It means ‘kitten’ in Russian.”

“You called me kitten?” There was a watery smile lurking at the edges of Darcy’s mouth. “How do you even know Russian, anyway?”

“I was born in Russia. Lived there until my teens, when SHIELD brought me in from the cold,” said Natasha. “Eventually I got tired of running intelligence missions for them, and the Director himself acted as a reference when I went for this job.”

“Your file says that you were born in West End,” said a new voice, and Natasha and Darcy looked away from one another to see the palace’s head of security, Phil Coulson, standing there with a less-than-pleased expression on his face despite his calm tone. “Not Russia.”

Natasha shrugged.

“Number one rule of dealing with SHIELD: Fury lies.”

“I’ll bear that in mind for the future.” Coulson didn’t look any less displeased. “If you would come with me, Ms Rushman, I think that there are things we ought to discuss.”

“That won’t be necessary,” said an authoritative female voice, and Natasha frankly stared as the Queen herself stepped out of the shadows. Natasha wondered how long the Queen had been lurking there, listening to every word. Either the reigning monarch was far more sneaky than anyone gave her credit for, or Natasha was losing her touch. She suspected the former.

“Your Majesty–” Coulson began, but a look from the Queen silenced him.

Natasha stood up as the Queen approached, while Darcy said, “Hey, Gran.” But the Queen wasn’t looking at her.

The Queen met Darcy’s eyes with a steely look, and Natasha looked back at her without flinching.

“Ms Rushman. Do you love my granddaughter?”

Natasha blinked, but sensed that now was definitely the time for honesty.

“There was a time when I would have said that love was for children. But… that was a long time ago.”

The Queen waited, her gaze never leaving Natasha’s. 

“I love Darcy with everything that I am,” said Natasha. “I don’t know if that will be enough, but I’m willing to try.”

The Queen was silent for a long moment.

“I have been Queen for a long time, Ms Rushman. I have lived even longer. Once I would have pushed for my granddaughter to find someone more suitable, but I have seen what happens when a loveless relationship is chosen for the sake of duty, and the heart is denied. You have been my granddaughter’s protector for over a year, and Philip Coulson’s reports of you have always been, in a word, glowing – the stunt with Thor aside.”

While Natasha was wondering if that had been a reproof, the Queen went on.

“If I am willing to trust you with Darcy’s life, I see no reason why I should not trust you with her heart. However,” the Queen added, suddenly severe, “should you betray that trust, there is nowhere in the world where you will be beyond my reach. Do you understand?”

“ _Gran_ ,” Darcy said, sounding somewhere between pleased and mortified, but Natasha only nodded, barely able to believe that the Queen seemed to be offering her the right to date Darcy.

“I understand.”

The Queen met her eyes a moment longer, and then nodded, as though satisfied. She turned to Darcy.

“My dear, seize whatever happiness you can find in this world. There is precious little of it.”

“But she’s a woman,” said Darcy. “You don’t – you don’t mind?”

The Queen sighed.

“It is, after all, the twenty-first century. I would see you happy. Besides which,” she added with a sudden, faintly humorous smile, “you have more than enough relatives producing heirs as it is.”

Darcy impulsively threw her arms around the Queen in a hug, which the Queen returned. Natasha glanced at Coulson, who looked deeply disapproving.

“Thank you,” said Darcy, her voice full of gratitude.

The Queen just patted her shoulder, before turning back towards the nearest entrance to the palace.

“Stop scowling, Philip,” she said to Coulson, “and give these two some privacy.”

“Of course, your Majesty,” said Coulson, looking no less disapproving. But he followed the Queen out of the gardens and back into the palace, leaving Darcy and Natasha alone.

Natasha turned back to Darcy to see her beaming.

“So, you love me,” Darcy started. “Really?”

“Really,” Natasha agreed, unable to help the smile tugging at her mouth. And then, because there was no reason not to, she stepped forward and cupped Darcy’s face with her hands, pulling her into a passionate kiss.

Darcy got with the programme immediately, wrapping her arms around Natasha and kissing her back just as passionately.

After a few minutes they broke apart for air, and Darcy said, “I never thought Gran would give her permission. You know, she’s pretty awesome.”

“She is,” Natasha agreed.

Darcy smiled at her, bright and lovely despite the mascara trails down her face, and Natasha smiled back, and tried to ignore the way her heart felt like it had grown to three times its size.

“Come on,” she said, taking Darcy’s hand. “Let’s get back inside, and clean off your mascara. Then we can talk about where this leaves us.”

Darcy made a face, touching her face where the mascara trails were, and said, “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

Hand-in-hand, they made their way back inside through the nearest door, ignoring the crowds of people inside the ballroom as they headed towards the door that led to the private wing of the palace. Natasha saw Bucky give them a discreet thumbs-up on the way, which she ignored. But then she saw Thor do the same thing to Darcy as they passed him, and Natasha couldn’t help her amused grin.

They went back to Darcy’s quarters, where Natasha helped her clean off her mascara.

They ended up kissing again afterwards, which wasn’t the discussion they’d been planning to have, but Natasha found that she really didn’t care.

* * *

**_ (Epilogue: _ **

The next morning Natasha was woken by the sound of her phone going off. She squinted at the caller ID, and answered.

“Clint?”

“ _Congratulations on landing a princess!”_ Clint said loudly. “ _I won the betting pool!_ ”

“How do you know about that?” Natasha asked after a moment, instead of asking about the betting pool. SHIELD agents bet on everything.

_ “I work for an intelligence organization, remember? We know everything. Hey, is the princess as hot as she looks on Facebook?” _

“Goodbye, Clint,” said Natasha, and hung up. **)**

 

 


End file.
